As we see a new leadership taking over BN with the call for change loud and clear from Malaysians, we expect a lot from this so-called new regime.

On the other hand, the one year since the forming of Pakatan Rakyat may be a short time but one year is sufficient for all the parties in this loose coalition to come together to form a working order that would appear to the public as a viable alternative to the BN government.

What are most Malaysians looking for today? This is the most important question all political parties must ask. We are no longer looking for mega-heroes. All the ‘bapa-bapa' (fathers) are mere historical symbols.

They have done what they should have done so let us not try to look for another father in the son (Najib to be like his father). Neither should be put Anwar Ibrahim on a pedestal and try to project him as the new ‘saviour' of Malaysia.

Karpal Singh may think that ‘Singh is King' but he is not although we do admire him for his guts and his bravado for standing up for certain principles. Nik Aziz is a spiritual leader and has wonderful understanding of his faith and what God wants him to do for all Malaysians, but he is not the Saint.

Malaysians are looking forward to a period when the poor and marginalised of all races can be given the right opportunities to develop themselves and become better off. We are looking towards a time when there will be a balanced society, where not one particular race would dominate any particular field.

We are looking forward towards when neighbourhoods are mixed and not divided into racial enclaves. We are looking for a nation when people are given opportunities they deserve and as provided for in the constitution (meaning, we do not oppose special privileges for the Malays as long as they still do not have equal opportunities as others).

Malaysians look forward to religious tolerance and acceptance and freedom to worship without fear of being hindered and persecuted in all sorts of weird manner.

Most important to many would be that the government of the day is able to use our economic resources in a wise and progressive manner. We want our resources to be utilised prudently and not wasted on grand projects that bring little returns. We want our resources conserved and expanded by careful exploration and development.

For all these to happen, we need honest and accountable captains in places of power both in the government and in the private sector, where such people are selected on merit and not based on nepotism or cronyism. We need to develop our human resources and keep them in the country and not for other countries to benefit from them!

We need security and assurance that we will get the right form of protection. Our police and armed forces must be strong and just. They must be representative of the composition of the peoples of Malaysia to ensure a sense of well-being. Defending our people from criminals and alien threats must be shared by all Malaysians, not just by one community or ethnic group.

How then could we feel as one if we do not take up arms to defend our nation? For 50 years, the existing government gave not a thought to this, so the new government must.

In the US, the American Africans were not given due recognition as fighting men in the air force until the Second World War and when given the opportunity, they proved themselves loyal and brave and today they have progressed to the point where their president is of this origin. When are we starting in Malaysia on a scale proportional to our racial composition?

We want a first-class judicial system where every person is equal in the eyes of the law. We have a wonderful judicial system but it has become tainted by so many events in the past and is still tainted today that Malaysians do not feel comfortable when they appear in court.

We need to feel and see in practice that the judiciary is independent of the executive and legislative and vice-versa. Today, we see the executive meddling with the judiciary and the judiciary dwelling into matters that should be solely in the hands of the legislative.

Therefore, changes we need in the BN but we are still looking at Pakatan to see whether it will evolve into something we look forward to. If the BN doesn't change to fit into today's needs or if Pakatan doesn't evolve into the form Malaysians expect them to be, Malaysians will look elsewhere for the light at the end of the tunnel.

It may be a long wait and search but I am sure all Malaysians will be patient enough; after all, we have already waited so long. While we wait and search, Malaysia will suffer because of uncertain political situations like frequent by-elections, change of governments by devious means and instability that could affect our economy and unity.

Thus, I appeal to the BN to change rapidly and to Pakatan to evolve just as fast so that Malaysians from all walks of life can go back to normalcy and make this nation a strong and viable one.